EU Youth Strategy

The EU Youth Strategy is the framework for EU youth policy cooperation for 2019-2027. EU youth cooperation shall make the most of youth policy's potential. It fosters youth participation in democratic life; it also supports social and civic engagement and aims to ensure that all young people have the necessary resources to take part in society.

The EU Youth Strategy focuses on three core areas of action, around the three words: Engage, ConnectEmpower, while working on joined-up implementation across sectors.


Funding opportunities for young people

Education, training, youth and sport

Erasmus+ is the EU programme that aims to improve the skills and employability of young people, promote their social inclusion and well-being, and foster improvements in youth work and youth policy at local, national and international level.

Funding activities are managed centrally by the Education, Audio-visual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) or by national agencies in each country.

Fellowships for researchers

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions are open to researchers in all disciplines, from life-saving healthcare to ‘blue-sky’ science. The activities are implemented by the Research Executive Agency (REA).

Young entrepreneurs

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is an exchange programme for entrepreneurs offering the opportunity to work alongside an experienced entrepreneur in another participating country for a period between one and six months.

Young volunteers

The European Solidarity Corps aims to strengthen solidarity in European society, engaging young people in accessible and high-quality solidarity activities. It is an opportunity to learn and develop their potential as well as to bring fresh and inspiring ideas to the organisation they are engaging with. The programme supports activities in the fields of volunteering, jobs, traineeships and local Solidarity Projects.

Funding activities are managed centrally by the Education, Audio-visual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), by national agencies in each country and by the SALTO-YOUTH network.

Young farmers

Young farmers may be eligible for a top-up payment worth 25% of the direct payment they receive. The top-up payment applies to farmers under the age of 40 and is provided by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund.

Young people may also be eligible for funding under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. Each rural development programme contains measures for which the fund can provide assistance to young people, depending on the priorities of each country or region.

Young unemployed

The Youth Employment Initiative supports unemployed young people who are currently not enrolled in education or training in regions with a youth unemployment rate above 25%. For the period 2021-2027, the Youth Employment Initiative was integrated into the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), while preserving the focus on youth employment.

The reinforced Youth Guarantee is a commitment by all Member States to ensure that all young people under the age of 30 receive a good quality offer of

  • employment
  • continued education
  • apprenticeship
  • traineeship

within four months of leaving education or becoming unemployed. These schemes are set up by the managing authorities in EU countries and can provide more details on both the Youth Employment Initiative and the Youth Guarantee.